


Blood on the Looking Glass

by HysteriaLevi



Category: Vampyr (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Romance, Vampyr
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-10-20
Packaged: 2019-07-13 11:52:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16017353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HysteriaLevi/pseuds/HysteriaLevi
Summary: BASED ON THE EVIL ENDING - PARIS, 1920After he’s reborn as a vampire, Geoffrey McCullum travels to France in order to hunt down Jonathan Reid before he can take any more lives...only to learn just how difficult it is to resist his own thirst. Now, on top of killing the former doctor and his accomplices, Geoffrey must also decide between slaughtering his fellow vampires, and feeding on the innocents who trust him as his hunger grows increasingly insatiable.





	1. Revenant

**Author's Note:**

> So I’ve been playing a lot of Vampyr recently, and I thought it’d be interesting to experiment with this idea. I do plan on expanding this fic in the future, but it won’t be for a while since I’m already focused on other works. Hope you guys enjoy this part for now! (Bear with me if the French or the history in this story isn’t 100% accurate lmao)

From Geoffrey’s POV

PARIS, 1920

MIDNIGHT

“...Welcome to the world through the looking glass...”

My Maker whispered a venomous tune in my head, turning the world around me red as I was forced to listen to his rhetoric. There wasn’t a day that went by where I didn’t hear Jonathan’s dastardly voice; and each time his hissing interrupted my thoughts, it only reminded me of my mission. 

The mission...that brought me to France.

Over the past two years, Doctor Reid had plunged into a severe madness, causing him to tear the throat out of every soul unfortunate enough to cross paths with him. His victims included men and women of all ages, and by now, the body count had been multiplied dozens of times. So many, that it made his work in London look like child’s play.

As always, the police were powerless to stop an Ekon of his ascendancy, and with every life he took, Jonathan only grew stronger. No matter how many new men they recruited, or how many civilians dared to confront the madman themselves...Reid always seemed to emerge the victor. And there was also the fact that he had other vampires working with him.

That was why the Guard of Priwen were forced to intervene.

Originally, I had planned to track the leech down on my own -- after all, Reid and I had unfinished business to conclude -- but surprisingly, a number of the Priwen were more than willing to offer assistance. 

Regardless of how brave my men were, or how much skill they carried, I expected them to stay as far away from Reid as possible, but many of them turned out to be victims of the doctor themselves. When news spread that I was traveling to Paris in order to kill the man, I ended up having to choose a select few out of an entire crowd. 

I just hoped that the people I brought wouldn’t get killed during this mission. Paris’ people deserved peace, and Jonathan had caused far more than enough tragedy. It was high time we put an end to it.

Breaking out of my thoughts, I stepped back from the drained corpse I was investigating and began to search the rest of the apartment, hoping to find any clues that could lead us to Reid...but, I couldn’t lie. I had no idea where to start.

Aside from the body, nothing else appeared to be out of the ordinary. The furniture was unscathed, there were no signs of a struggle or a fight, and a pair of empty wine glasses sat peacefully on a nearby table. Either Jonathan attacked the victim by surprise, or they trusted him enough to not let his hunger take control. Lord, were they wrong...

“Sir!” One of my men called out, grabbing my attention.

“What is it, Woodbead?” I asked. “Have you found something?”

Woodbead was considered to be one of the most ruthless members of the Priwen, despite being younger and newer than a majority of our numbers. He already had his fair share of battle wounds, and made no effort to hide the set of scars engrained in the left side of his face. 

Half a hole had been bored into his ear by a bullet, along with a gash in his cheek following the trajectory, one of his eyes was blind, and a third scar cut a jagged path through the shaved hair on his temple. Even with his multiple injuries however, Woodbead still looked after his appearance and adorned a neat, clean-shaven image fit for a gentleman. Well, save for the constant presence of a weapon in his hand. He was quite a figure, indeed.

Woodbead presented me with a blood-stained journal, giving me a grim expression.

“It’s the victim’s diary,” he explained. “Her name was Elise, according to the entries in here. It looks like Reid was alluring her for some time -- using her infatuation with him to his advantage.”

I flipped through the flimsy pages and shook my head, letting out a morose breath as I read her confessions of love for the doctor. If only she had known what was coming...

“Reid’s deception has no boundaries these days, it seems. That leech will slaughter anyone.”

Woodbead fell silent for a moment at that comment, causing me to glance at the young man out of curiosity.

“Something wrong, Woodbead?” I checked. He shrugged in response, albeit not in a very convincing manner.

“No,” he dismissed. “...Just thinking about about my old man, is all. He was killed back in 1918, see. They masked the murder as suicide, and I believed it at first. After all, my father was tough as nails. No one could take him down except for himself. And on top of that, he had just lost his son. It made sense.”

“...But it was really Reid all along.” I predicted. Woodbead glowered.

“Precisely. That...fucking leech murdered my father. I won’t let him get away with it, Geoffrey. Reid is going to pay for all of this.”

I returned the journal to Woodbead, firmly holding his hand in place as he reached out to grab it.

“We will kill him, Andrew,” I reassured. “The Guard of Priwen will prevail.”

“Oh, I know we will,” he replied. “My only hope is that I live long enough to see that day. Until then...I’m with you, McCullum. To the end.”

I quirked a brow at him. “It doesn’t bother you that I’m...one of them?”

Again, Andrew said no, but he seemed much more sincere this time.

“I’ve seen your work, sir. I’ve seen the loyalty your men hold, and the passion you inspire in them. I know for a fact you’d never put the Guard’s mission in jeopardy, vampire or human. I’ll kill any other leech that gets in our way, but I trust you, McCullum. With my life.”

“Thank you, Andrew,” I said. “But...keep this between us, would you? You’re still the only one who knows, and I’d prefer it to stay that way for now.”

Woodbead nodded. “Of course.”

“Then let’s get going. The longer we stand here, the more Paris’ citizens are at risk of being this beast’s next meal.”

Andrew put the journal away and prepared a crossbow with a flaming arrow, pulling up his red scarf so that his covered his face.

“I’m right behind you.”

~~~~~~~~~~

From Jonathan’s POV

Slithering in the shadows, my accomplice and I quietly observed the Guards of Priwen from a nearby alleyway as they scrambled around like cockroaches in the light, desperately searching for our tracks. 

Handling the Priwen was no problem for me whatsoever -- I had dealt with their men more times than I could count -- but McCullum, on the other hand...was not to be taken lightly. Even though I’d only fought him once before, I knew it’d be foolish to underestimate the vampire hunter. Not only did he almost defeat me in combat, he had also proven to be quite clever. Not many people these days could’ve said the same.

“They’re closing in on us,” my companion warned with a whisper. “It’s only a matter of time before they interfere with our plans again. We should kill McCullum now, whilst he’s still within reach.”

I turned to him with an addled expression.

“You wish to attack the Head of the Priwen in the middle of Paris’ streets?” I questioned. “I always knew you to be somewhat of an impetuous man, Blackbourne, but that’s reckless even for you.”

He grew impatient. “Why not kill him now? We’re in the middle of an alleyway, Reid! No one would even notice the assault until daylight.”

The slight rise in Blackbourne’s voice briefly attracted the attention of McCullum’s comrade, causing the both of us to go completely silent until he finally turned away.

“And how do you think people would react to that?” I continued. “A man who claims to be the leader of a vampire hunting organization gets his blood drained in the middle of the night? Right after investigating another victim who shared the same fate, no less. Citizens are already suspicious of the undead walking amongst them. You’d be exposing our existence to all of France, and God forbid, Europe! You may as well invite these mortals for a cup of tea at the Ascalon Club.”

At last, Blackbourne gave in.

“Very well,” he reluctantly agreed. “...I concede your point. Though, my warning still stands. You cannot let the Guard of Priwen find us, or we’ll be exposed anyways! You must kill McCullum before it’s too late.”

I glared at Geoffrey with a wicked smirk, examining his pale complexion and lifeless eyes as my smile stretched wider, nearly revealing the fangs that hid underneath. There weren’t many things in this precarious world that made me laugh nowadays, but the irony of McCullum’s position brought joy to my dead heart.

A soft chuckle escaped me.

“...I already have.”


	2. The Hunger

From Geoffrey’s POV

GUARD OF PRIWEN HQ

Returning to our base after a long day of work, Woodbead and I made haste in the darkness of the night as birds sang faintly in the distance, signaling the start of a new dawn. 

To my disappointment, the Guard of Priwen hadn’t been making as much progress as I’d hoped...and we’d already been here for an entire fortnight. I knew catching Reid would be no easy task -- especially in a city like Paris -- but it was evident that the Ekon had grown accustomed to evading our men. 

After all, we spent so much time fighting him in London. It only made sense that, the more we hunted him down, the more he would adapt to our tactics. And he was no longer some confused, fish-out-of-water newborn. 

Jonathan had evolved into an experienced, superior Ekon with the blood of an ancient vampire...and he certainly knew how to put it to good use. We couldn’t afford to make the mistake of underestimating him. I already made that mistake once -- and it cost me my life.

“You think the others have found anything yet?” Andrew asked me, disrupting the deathly silence.

I sluggishly slid a hand down my face, opening the entrance to our base.

“Hopefully. I have faith in the Guard’s skills, but Paris has been barren lately in terms of leads. Reid certainly knows how to cover his tracks. And so do his allies.”

A brief memory flashed in my mind, causing a scoff to escape me. 

“To think, I used to believe Jonathan would end up getting killed by some random Priwen. The first time I met him, he was nothing but a feeble corpse seeking refuge in the rundown Pembroke. I never expected him to become the threat he is today. Shows you how foolish I was to not kill Swansea. ...What was that man thinking? Offering vampires shelter? In a hospital, out of all places. It’s no wonder their patients always turned up dead.”

Woodbead followed me inside, locking the entrance behind us.

“None of us could’ve predicted this,” he reassured. “Especially not from someone who used to make a living saving people. Trust me, you’re not the only one who didn’t see this coming.”

I shook my head. “But it’s my job to know, Andrew. As your leader, it’s important that I’m able to detect these types of threats from a mile away. Otherwise, we’d all be dead.”

I let out a frustrated sigh. “Ah...I should have put a stake through Reid’s heart the moment I saw him. Would’ve spared London a colossal amount of trouble...but I suppose regrets are useless, aren’t they. All we can do now is put that leech down, once and for all, and avenge the countless lives he’s taken.”

“Come,” I beckoned. “Let’s see what the others have been doing.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Entering our headquarters, Andrew and I were greeted with the distant sound of conversation coming from the rest of the members as we passed by our fellow Priwen. There weren’t as many of us in Paris as there were in London, but even then, I still had confidence in our success. 

After all, a smaller family meant it was easier for us to communicate, and on top of that, these people were chosen for being the best of the best. It was like having our own, elite group within the Guard...and that was precisely what we needed to kill Reid. I just hoped he hadn’t formed his own family.

Strolling through a tall, wooden archway, I headed towards the main area of the base which had been decorated with Priwen banners, swords and shields on the walls, shelves stuffed with books about vampires, elegant drapery, paintings of previous leaders, and a simple but bold chandelier hanging aloft.

But what really caught my attention was the large, circular table in the center of the room. It had been crafted out of a majestic mahogany with intricate designs of leaves, vines, and gargoyle heads carved into its sides. And on its surface, lay a vast map of the city marked with all sorts of icons. It was the perfect device for the Guard.

Upon arrival however, I noticed that there was already a pair of people seated at the table discussing something clearly urgent as they exchanged hushed words, careful not to alert anyone outside the base.

Among them was Eleanor Gray, a middle-aged woman who joined the Order just a couple years ago. She appeared stern and motherly on the outside with the gaze of a hawk, but carried a fire that burned like no other within. 

Her signature feature was a lengthy scar on her nose that she received from a fight with a Vulkod, and her short, black hair only had a few strands of silver in it despite her age. Just by looking at Eleanor, you’d never be able to guess she had such a dark history with Doctor Reid.

Apparently, the leech actually started out as a friend of the family, but things took a dark turn when her son grew too attached to him. It left the boy completely vulnerable to the Ekon’s true intentions, and one night, he decided to spend some time with Reid...only to never come back. 

Even worse -- when her husband tried to look for their missing son, he too met the same fate. By the time Eleanor learned what had happened, Reid was already long gone.

Their deaths instantly drove Eleanor straight to my doorstep. She just appeared outside our base one day, standing in the middle of the pouring rain with nothing but a shotgun in her hands, and a desire to get revenge.

The man sitting beside her now, Alexander Hale, was the first to befriend our new recruit. 

Hale was a much different story compared to Eleanor. In fact, I didn’t really know what his story was in the first place. Alexander had never been a man of many words, and he only ever spoke when he thought something needed to be said -- which made him quite a mystery to the rest of us. 

Regardless of his wordless tendencies however, Alexander still managed to be one of the more prominent members in the Guard. His head of neat, auburn hair was quite hard to miss, and his globular, blue eyes stood out like a pair of crystal orbs. There was also the fact that his presence alone was enough to make an impact. I had seen rooms full of people fall completely silent upon his entry, and even I couldn’t deny that he did hold a somewhat intimidating temperament. 

I supposed that was why Hale made such a skilled vampire hunter.

Approaching the large table, I immediately got the attention of the other Guards as Eleanor’s head perked up, both of them now focused on me and Woodbead.

“McCullum, Andrew,” Eleanor said, sounding somewhat relieved. “You’ve returned. Did you find anything whilst you were out investigating?”

Woodbead pulled out the diary from Elise’s apartment.

“Another lost soul, I’m afraid...” He replied, placing it on the table. “It was a young woman named Elise this time. According to her diary, Reid had been seducing her for quite a while. And she fell for it.”

Eleanor’s nose crinkled in disgust, her eyes sinking downwards.

“...That bastard,” she whispered. “Always preying on those who can’t fight back. Oh...poor girl. I hope she was the only victim you discovered.”

“For now,” I confirmed. “What about you? What were you discussing before I arrived?”

“Well, there’s good news and there’s bad news,” she replied. “The good news is we may have identified one of Reid’s accomplices.” 

“...And the bad news?” I asked.

Eleanor leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. “We think they may be another Ekon named Edward Blackbourne. The locals here call him ‘The Pestilent.’ Apparently, he’s been around since the early eighteenth century, and has a habit of targeting young women. He’s also become somewhat of a bogeyman. The strange part however, is he hasn’t been in France for that long. The woman we spoke with said he only arrived two years ago.”

The pieces clicked in my head, leaving a feeling of dread in me. 

“...The same time Reid left London. That can’t be a coincidence. Where is this woman you mentioned?”

“She works at the nearby pub,” she answered. “Her name is Adelie. Though, be warned, she has a reputation for being somewhat...crazy.”

I raised a brow. “Why’s that?”

Eleanor chuckled, though not out of amusement. “She believes in vampires...but no one believes her.”

I gave her a nod. “I see. Well, I’ll go have a word with her; find out what else she knows. In the meantime, I want you and Alexander to patrol the area around here. I don’t know why, but I’ve noticed most of Reid’s victims have been from these parts. If we’re going to gather anymore clues, we should do it here. Andrew -- you’re with me.”

Woodbead straightened his posture. “Ready when you are, sir.”

Eleanor rose from her seat. “As are we.”

“Then let’s get to work, people,” I ordered. “We don’t have long before Reid or Blackbourne decides to strike again, and I certainly don’t plan to wait for them. These murders have to end now. So let’s move!”

~~~~~~~~~~

Swiftly taking our leave, Andrew and I wasted no time in hurrying over to the pub Eleanor mentioned as we glided through the dawn’s fading darkness, anxious to avoid the sun. 

I knew it was incredibly risky to wander outside during this hour, but I couldn’t afford having my own men grow suspicious of me. There was already tension among the Guard with all the recent killings, and the last thing I wanted was for us to lose trust in each other. If my time with Carl Eldritch taught me anything, it was that infighting could be just as damaging to our Order as any vampire out there...and he was right.

“Sir.” Woodbead called out, causing me to pause for a moment.

“Yes?” I said. “What is it?”

The young man glanced at the sky, clearly preoccupied with something.

“...If you want me to speak with Adelie alone, just say the word. I could easily get the information we need, but I don’t want to see my leader burn alive just because we were a few minutes behind schedule.”

Despite my urge to retreat to the shadows, I refused.

“No, it’s better if I’m there. Anything could happen with all these vampires lurking around, and if trouble were to find us, I’d prefer you didn’t face it alone.”

He continued to push the subject. “You’ve seen me fight, McCullum. I know the scars on my face say otherwise, but I can defend myself. You don’t need to worry about me.”

I remained unswayed.

“I’m coming with you, Andrew. There’s no telling what we can expect, and I--”

Suddenly feeling light-headed, the world began to spin around me and I found myself stumbling for a second before tipping over, hurriedly using a nearby wall for support as Andrew practically threw himself in front of me. 

“Sir!” He exclaimed, fretting like a worried parent.

“...I’m...I’m all right...” I mumbled, waving a dismissive hand. “Just...need a minute...”

Andrew furrowed his brow in concern, instantly pinpointing the problem.

“You need blood, Geoffrey. You’re not getting enough.”

I gazed at him with heavy eyelids, shrugging weakly. “...And where...are we supposed to find that?”

Without saying anything, Woodbead simply gestured to his own neck, slightly pulling down the collar that concealed it. Again, I declined.

“We’ve talked about this before,” I reminded him. “I’m not feeding on you. Or anyone, for that matter.”

Still, Andrew insisted. “I can handle giving a little blood.”

I pushed myself off the wall, attempting to move on as if nothing happened.

“Well, I’d rather not take the risk. By nature, vampires are addicted to blood. If I taste even a drop of yours, I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop.”

“But--”

I regained composure, taking a deep breath. “I’m fine, Andrew. Really. My thirst won’t kill me, but it could kill you. Now, enough about this. Let’s return to the mission at hand. We only have an hour or so before the sun’s up. We should make haste.”

At last, the young man gave in, letting out an unsure sigh. 

“...As you wish, sir. Just...keep an eye on yourself, yeah? I don’t want you falling over while we’re out in the open.”

“It won’t come to that,” I reassured. “I promise.”

In reality though, I knew Andrew was right. I wasn’t going to be able to ignore this thirst for much longer. Ever since the minute I woke up in that godforsaken hospital where Jonathan left me, my throat had been parched. 

So far, I had been lucky enough to resist the temptation, but with every passing day, I could feel my body withering more and more as an aching sense of hunger consumed it from the inside-out. 

It continuously climbed its way up my list of concerns, and I had no idea when I would reach my breaking point. But no matter what, I told myself I couldn’t give in to the thirst. I just couldn’t. I refused to betray my people’s trust like that...and I wouldn’t.

A familiar voice suddenly whispered in my ear, their ghostly words interrupting my thoughts as my vision turned red.

“...Rotten or pristine, each heart contains the seeds of life. Drink at this river. Dry it all...!”

A series of chills ran up my spine. 

It was Jonathan. He was listening to me. I could feel it. 

No, I said to myself. Don’t do it. Resist the thirst. You must...!

Reid’s ominous chuckle echoed in my head.

“It is wise for the huntsman to sometimes let his prey go...but no famished hunter can run for long. Not even you...”

I gritted my teeth in frustration.

“Leave me be, you filthy leech...! I won’t walk down the same path as you. I won’t become a murderer.”

Another laugh escaped Jonathan, his tone dripping with malice.

“Give up this pointless charade, my progeny. You and I both know it won’t work forever. Embrace this gift I have given you, and welcome your true potential with open arms...”

With that said, my vision gradually returned to normal, and the red drained from the world like blood leaking out of a vampire’s feast. Before loosening his clutch on my mind however, Jonathan left me with one, final piece of advice as a temporary farewell.

“Satisfy your hunger...” he warned, “...or become it.”


End file.
